A Knock at the Door
by Tigerlily Sackville-Baggins
Summary: Hey people! This is my little novel that I'm cooking up in my brain. I decided Frodo needed a lady. This is what I came up with!=)
1. Of tear shaped glasses and olive robes

A/N: Alright, in the answer to throwing dice's question....

This in my opinion is not a Mary Sue. The beginning seems a lot like it, but it goes into an adventure about finding the lost palantir. I must take back my statement of saying, "This is the opposite of a Mary Sue" but goodness, is there any way to avoid having a non slash romance fiction and avoiding it? In all truth, I wish this is what my love story would be like. But with the lack of smials and 3 foot 6 gentlemen, it is quite unlikely. 

Disclaimer: This story is my own work, so PLEASE leave it be. I will not put any more up if I find out that anyone has stolen it. My mom doesn't even watn me to put it up. On a nicer note, I would really love your reviews, and like I said, if I get 25 then I will put up the next section. I have a TON of the story. All of the beautiful characters and places of Middle Earth are the product's of Sir Tolkien's imagination. But Miss Tigerlily Gamgee is mine.=) 

A/N: I had just finished the third book and was thinking "NOOOOO!" And then I decided I was going to write my own ending. Which would actually only be the beginning lol. Did that makes sense? Anyway, this is Frodo's love story, because I decided that he needed a lady. WELL HE DID!=)

I apologize for the uh.. "fluffiness" of this chapter. But come on people, it's the Shire, the one place where fluff can live and breath.=)

Ok and I didn't check some of the names so please forgive me!

  
  
  
  


Frodo awoke to the annoying but familiar sting of Sun in his eyes. Stumbling out of bed and squinting, he went over to the window opposite the door to his room and jerked the curtains back in place. "The wind, guilty as always." Frodo muttered under his breath. He had not had a good nights rest, and even though it was a beautiful clear morning(as all in the Shire seem to be) he saw no point in getting up. As he lie awake amongst his bright down comforters he thought of the nightmare he had just had. Memories of the endless days spent with the Orcs in Cirith Ungol seemed to plage him more often, the loneliness, the cold, striped of all warmth and comfort he had sat, staring at the walls that he could barely see. But as he lay his head back on his pillow, he thought of Sam, singing on the broken stairs, his soft voice drifting through the darkness of the tower up to him. And of laying his weary head in his lap, like a tired child, after a long happy day of running through the rolling green hills of Hobbiton. Warm and safe he had felt, even though it was only Sam's tattered elven cloak around his naked shoulders. Like all cares had been lifted from him. He drifted even farther, to his mother, who he had barely known, cradling him at their old home in Buckland. Home. That was where he was. He wasn't in a tower, nor a cursed dungeon, full of filth of all kinds , but in the colored splendor of Bag End. He smiled. Sam. The one person who had stuck with him to the bitter end of a hopeless quest. He remembered that he had promised to call on him today. They had both been back "home" for about a year now, and Sam and Rosie had been married for 6 months, to the Shire reckoning. Frodo smirked as he remembered Bilbo's 111th birthday, and how he had given Sam a little "push" through the door when it came to Rosie. He had thrust Sam into her, who gladly whisked him of his feet in dance for a good hour or so. He laughed at how he had wished and hoped that Sam would get over his shyness with girls and "step into the ring" so to speak. Little did he know that with the fame their "quest" would bring them, Rosie would be calling on him, instead of the other way around! He began to finger a small white jewel that lay round his neck. He sighed. The recollection of the dream having passed, he lay back, and fell into a delightful, peaceful sleep.

A few hours later he sat up, jolted awake, again, by an loud abrupt rap at the door.

"Not again, maybe the trees are out to get me too." He chuckled, threw on a old olive green, fleece robe, and answered the door.

The creak of the rounded, brick red, door seemed to screech in his oversized ears. 

"Hello, how and who are you to call at such a early hour of the morning?" Frodo fumbled around with the handle, completely forgetting that the noon day sun was blazing outside.

A smaller hobbit, with an equal frame, stood gaping at him in the doorway. The small almost child looking female recognized him instantly. Pictures that were strewn all over the local papers in Buckland came back to her. Frodo, the true ringbearer, was sheepishly looking at her straight in the face.

"I... I'm sorry," she stammered. "I didn't know which hole I was knocking. I beg your pardon sir, but I was looking for Mr. Samwise Gamgee if you please." She brushed her brunette curls from her forehead in a vague attempt not to look incredibly nervous.

"Are you in anyway related to Mr. Samwise miss?" Frodo noticed the likeness in polite behavior immediately. The girl almost fell backwards, in shock that he had noticed anything, let alone asked such an out of the ordinary question.

"Ye..yes sir. I'm so sorry to bother you, but I was supposed to meet him today, and got horribly lost with all these little back roads. I would've loved to sit and watch.." She stopped, she was "babbling" again. A nervous habit she was determined to break ever since she knew how to talk. That had never happened. 

"You would've done what?" Frodo watched the girl's movements with curiosity. 

"I was just saying how I would've loved to sit and watch the water trickle down some of the small streams you have behind your house, and maybe have a light smoke. I know it's a boyish habit though, so I don't really like to mention it." She blushed. She was surprised at how much she was letting away of herself. Her hero, who she had admired ever since news of his journey had started to trickle like the waters through Buckland; was standing in his nightclothes, still squinting in front of her, and all she could think about was talking. "Oh, I'm sorry Sir, I've begun to talk your head off."

"And I would have gladly had it done." he smiled "You can do no worse then Sam my dear, no worse then Sam. But here I am forgetting all about hospitality. Please come in. If it's directions you want, then it's directions you'll receive!" 

The both walked into the house, Frodo still stumbling a little, which made the girl wonder whether or not he had been at the ale too much last night. In truth Frodo was getting over the personal shock that Sam had a relative he had never met before! So she was what Sam had wanted me to call about today," he mused to himself.

"Oh!" Frodo jumped. "I've also forgotten how to properly introduce myself. My name is Frodo Baggins, but by the look on your face when I opened the door, I assumed you already knew that. Well, welcome to my humble "abode"." He threw open the shutters with quick disgusted glance around his messy house; and then back at the girl, who seemed to walk circles around herself in a happy daze. "I'm afraid you caught me quite off guard. I haven't had a proper guest in a very long time, save Gandalf who dropped by last week. But even he now just seems to make himself at home. Would you care for some tea?"

"Oh yes, that would be splendid! My name is Tigerlily Gamgee, I live in Buckland, just outside the skirts of town." She started to peek her bouncy head through the numerous circular doorways of the famous Bag End. It was nothing like Tigerlily had imagined. Papers were strewn all cross the table, along with Bilbo's version of There and Back Again. She resisted the temptation to pick up the open book, littered with scrawling letters that she had too imagine were Frodo's.

"How do I not know about you? I thought I knew every relative of Sam's, dead or alive!" Frodo laughed as he started some water over the fire, and picked out his best leaves. Tigerlily wasn't listening. She seemed to be in love with the hobbit hole, too absorbed by the old furniture, the rustic colors, and the overall glow of the house itself to notice Frodo waving one of his tan, tough hands in front of her face.

"Um, hello?" 

She looked up quickly to see Frodo's bright blue eyes staring at her. She blushed again. She was smitten by him, or it least she seemed to be, in her mind. But she did not altogether know how. He seemed to have a fatherly air about him, wise looking and soulful eyes that spoke volumes with a single glance. But he was still very much a gentlemen, full of life, polite, and almost willing to fulfill the laws of chivalry itself. The rumors must be true. Although she had never met one, she knew he had an Elvish air.

"I'm sorry again Mr. Frodo, if I can call you that..." At this Frodo fell on the ground giggling like a child. 

"Sorry, sorry, I'll try to compose myself. You are just so much like Sam it amazes me. He called me that on our journey. I didn't like it that much. Made me feel uncomfortable. Like I was his superior, when it should be the opposite." He threw his hands in the air. "Sometimes he would even call me 'Master'! Imagine that! I was never his master, EVER, but he insisted, so I let him do it. I would prefer you just call me Frodo miss."

"Well then! I guess that explanation will do." She smiled shyly. " Hmm, where to begin. I am Sam's second cousin, on which side I don't really know. Our families have feuded since before I can remember, and I only heard harsh words about the 'Gamgees of Hobbiton'. I never asked any questions, which seemed to be the unspoken rule of my household. But after the renowned quest of the legendary Frodo and Sam, my parents had the bright idea to finally tell me about him . We've been writing for months now, ever since you two came back I've only seen him in pictures, mostly with you, that's why I was so stunned when I by chance knocked on your door. He sounds like the nicest hobbit in the Shire, but you may have beaten him out of the title." 

"I doubt it. Sam is very close to my heart Tigerlily. He has saved my life more times then I can count, and almost died in the process once or twice. If I hadn't had him there, I don't know what I would've done. Lost, lost, as Gollum used to say, that's what I would've been. Lost." Frodo fell back into his favorite arm chair. A look of sudden fear and pain surged into his face, making Tigerlily jump back. Relief and color came back to his fair cheeks and he breathed again. "I'm sorry Tigerlily. It's the ring, it still has some control over me. Whenever I think about certain "memories" it happens. Pain, a hard strong shot of pain that goes down my neck through my spine and then up again. Right where it was,"he clutched his fist and seemed to throw it against his chest. He was whispering to himself, singing, a song that had no name, nor proper tongue, but it soothed him, and that was all he cared about. "I apologize again. Why don't I make us some luncheon, then we can both go and call on Sam together. He asked me to come over while we were at the Green Dragon yesterday, I can only think he wanted me to meet you! What a surprise he'll get. A walk would be nice for us too. And we could talk some more."

She just nodded her head. She thought about how much she was liking Frodo already, how , although she had not quite envisioned him this way, she liked him better. He was down to earth. "Normal" she thought to herself. The word meant nothing. She had never considered herself normal, more like an outsider. She had spent her sleepless nights contemplating the world outside her hole. Outside of Buckland, outside the Shire. On Mirkwood, and Lothlorien her thoughts dwelt, the fair places of the Middle Earth. She dreamt of elves, their fair faces and hair shining in the moonlight. Of running through the golden leaves she had only known through tales. But she kept this all inside. Tigerlily felt chills go through her back. There it was. The phial of Erethedil. The star Galadriel had given to Frodo. He himself was busying about the house, getting bread and honey, some dried fruit, the scent of chicken sizzling on the open fire had no effect on Tigerlily's senses. Frodo noticed the look of wonder in her eyes and said casually, "Oh, that's the phial alright! The Lady gave it to me when we were about to leave Lothlorien. You can touch it if you want. Sting is sitting on the dresser in my room. You can see both if you like."

Tigerlily's soft green eyes lit up like a hobbit child seeing fireworks. She slowly picked up the phial fingers trembling, no light came from the tear shaped glass, but a fire and warmth that she had never felt before flowed through her veins. Strong, beautiful and mighty she felt. It frightened her, and she put it down promptly onto the green satin pillow where she found it. She then ran to the master bedroom, which she assumed was Frodo's. His clothes for the day where spread out on a wooden rocker that sat in the corner. Papers of unfinished songs and maps were placed in neat piles on his desk. A painting hung on the wall next to the window. She went over slowly and examined it. It was of him, done in oils she assumed, with some kind of pressed flower sticking to his maroon waistcoat. She saw a small name scribbled in black in the corner "Samwise Gamgee!" she was delighted to find that her cousin, like herself, took a fancy to art. "It's quite good, I love the colors...especially the eyes."she thought to herself. Those eyes. Shining blue with specks of yellow and gold. She had noticed the beauty as soon as he had opened the door. She had a knack for it...noticing that is. Tigerlily was very observant she liked to say. Keeping her thoughts secret because of her home life, she liked to sit back and watch the world go by, enjoy life. But also being an artist, she noticed light, and color especially. She would love to sit down and paint Frodo's eyes one day. "Maybe I'll have the chance."she sighed. She was jolted out of her daydream by Frodo's voice.


	2. Of tear shaped glasses and olive robes c...

"Tigerlily? Are you there? Luncheon is ready. I hope you like chicken! Some tea is on the table. I have to check on something." He looked down, "And I should probably get out of my nightclothes." He held up his finger in the "one moment" sign. Tigerlily laughed. He rushed out of the room and came out a few minutes later wearing a brown waistcoat and a cream short sleeved shirt. Along with that he had on typical hobbit like pants, except these were a dark forest green. He finished it off with some dirty boots that were obviously very well loved. She thought he looked quite cute. 

"Well, shall we sit?" He set out her seat for her and then sat down himself. They said very little during lunch, except some simple questions. She had not noticed it in the excitement of the meeting, but Tigerlily found that she was famished. She told him that she had been traveling for three days, only stopping to sleep under the stars. She showed him the letters that Sam had written her, in his familiar messy writing. He read most of them, and smiled often, each started with "Dear Miss Lily" and ended with "Can't wait to see you, Samwise Gamgee" so like Sam he thought. After she had finished her second cup of tea, Frodo leaned back and said "Miss Lily? We must be off."He hastily cleared the dishes, splashing them with water and some soap and drying off his hands. Tigerlily noticed the missing finger on his right hand.

"So it's true sir? About your hand and all?" She couldn't help but ask.

"Oh yes yes, most of all that seems like rumor is true. That dreaded Gollum broke his promise, and almost had his way. He was so angry he would've killed me I think. But he never got the chance. The ring took him to his death, and in a way I believe it's what he wanted. I'm very grateful for his sacrifice, if you can call it that. Without him I might've made the same mistake as Isildur." A look of shame and remorse came over him, he sat down quietly, like he had forgotten all about Tigerlily for the moment. He came back to his senses and said, "Sorry my dear, I have a spell once and a while . I hope you understand."

"I'm just thankful you and Sam survived!" She blurted out suddenly. "I wish I could understand sir, but I can't seeing as you are the only one surviving to have born such a burden."

"I'm glad your happy, that makes me happy too. Now let's get going before Sam begins to worry his pretty head about both of us now!" He grabbed his coat and opened the door for her, and they both set down his front steps.

"The road goes ever on and on..." Frodo mumbled the now familiar song as they strolled together. Tigerlily began to sing it too. Bilbo's little tune had become associated and often sung in relation to the telling of his adventures, as well as Frodo's.

After a few minutes they both fell silent. It was a long walk to Sam's, who had a hole in almost the heart of town, just a little from the Green Dragon Inn. Frodo piped up.

"I'm sorry to say this, and I hope it doesn't sound impolite, but how old are you? I'm known for guessing ages, and I'm almost always correct, but with you I haven't the foggiest idea."

"No, no it's not rude at all, it's flattering actually. I'm 52 and a half, I just had my birthday over the Autumn. I hope you thought I was younger then that, not older. I try to keep looking my best. I ride horses often, and keep my best shape possible."

"I thought you were much, MUCH, younger miss. Fifty-two? Wow, I could've sworn you were in your late 30's. Nothing more then that." The look on his faced showed that he was being honest. Tigerlily turned a deep, deep red. She could not believe that Frodo was complementing her! A thank you was all she managed to sputter out.

They talked a little more about their childhoods, Frodo having grown up in the Shire with the greatest story teller known to hobbit history, and Lily being an innkeeper's daughter. She told of the nights that when she was a little girl, she would hide in a corner, breathing in the heavy, smokey air, listening intently to every word the guests would say. Many years later, as she was doing just that, was when she heard about Frodo and Sam. She talked about her father Bingo, and how his entire life revolved around the inn. He loves the inn, almost more then his family. He never thought about seeing the outside world, but rather have it come directly to him. She hated this about her father, and continually begged to go on any adventures, even if it was just to the end of the golden fields of the Shire. But he never let her insisting that she "stay out of such nonsense".

She had been going on some time now, revealing more of herself then she ever had before. She talked about her little sisters, Ruby and Orangeblossom, whom she loved dearly. Their mother had died when she was 15, giving birth to Ruby, the youngest of the three. Their childlike innocence and sense of adventure, like her own, had kept the family sane. Sometimes times had gotten rough, business ran thin, and the girls had to get odd jobs. She had worked in the stables at the inn, taking care of the guests horses. This is where she had fallen in love with the animals. Although she had to stand on a high stool to simply brush them, she felt a link between her and the unhappy horses. Both were wild at heart, wanting to be free, but stuck in a pen, in Tigerlily's case the inn, that kept them back. She stopped for a minute, to take a breath and notice the weedy, cobblestone streets she was wandering down. "It's so beautiful here. Much more green and peaceful then Buckland." she thought to herself. 

Frodo had been listening intently for a while, but after about ten minutes his thoughts began to wander. He finally took a good solid look at Tigerlily. She was quite small, maybe 3 foot 5, a good size for a female hobbit. She was wearing a red satin girdle with a dove white ruffled blouse. Her skirt was a little oversized and dragged a little onto the dusty road. It was a greyish blue color, with a matching shawl thrown over her shoulders. He scanned up and saw her face. Fair and beautiful she looked to him. With rosy cheeks and a nose to match. Her eyes shown an olive green color, with a corn yellow gold sprouting from her pupils. Her lips were a light pink, with a soft pout, which made Frodo smile. She had light brown corkscrew curls that cascaded around her shoulders, along with the same color freckles spotting her cheeks. Her smile was infectious, and her laughter like rain, falling steadily when in the right conditions. "She's enchanting." Frodo almost blurted it out. The thought was stamped out of his mind by doubt. "Why do I feel like this...I just met her! No Frodo you can't. You barely know her! She knocked on my door four hours ago and is now jabbering on abut who knows what. But I like it. I don't know why, but I do. And besides, she's so beautiful" He looked down at his hand, "and I'm well, not." Frodo's missing finger had had a dramatic effect on his self esteem. He felt lacking, as though something was missing, besides the obvious, and he continually hid it whenever he could. The sight of his maimed apendage brought shame to his heart, only because deep down he knew, it could've been avoided. "It's atrocious." He thought. Frodo had been trying to convince him self that it was necessary, Gollum would've killed him, even though his attempt at that saved Frodo in the end. He stuffed his hand into his pocket and tried to focus himself of something else. He turned his attention back to Tigerlily, the sunlight ricocheting off her curls, who was still going on, and on, and on. Frodo tried to catch up. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	3. Yellow Yarn Hair

A/N: HALLELUJAH!!!! I AM SOOOOOOOOOO HAPPY! Ok I finally got the second chapter finished! It's really short, but now I am finally done and I can get going with the rest of my book! I have the third chapter mostly done but I need to work on it some more. Please be patient. AND REVIEW! I love your reviews. They make me so happy!=)

  
  


Chapter 2

  
  


Yellow Yarn Hair

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Frodo never did quite catch up that day. He lost the conversation somewhere around her coming of age, but that didn't matter much. Soon after that, Frodo realized that they were approaching the cobblestone steps that led up to Sam's hobbit hole. 

Sam Gamgee's garden was "splendid" as Frodo liked to brag. His best friend's pride and joy was known throughout all Middle Earth, and occasionally, a visitor or two passing in the Shire would come and gaze upon it. Sunflowers reached their leafy hands to the sky in praise of its warm and light. Morning glories streamed over the hills like rivers, their blue petals flowing in rivets and splashing towards the road. Orchids outlined the windows, and marigold's enveloped the back-porch of the hole. There were many more flowers, some unnamed, and all too numerous to put in this story, but it was spectacularly beautiful, exactly what the Lady had envisioned it, much to Sam's delight.

The walked up the front steps still deep in conversation. They were interrupted by Sam's smiling face bursting through his sky blue hobbit door.

"Mister Frodo! How are you? You're late you know," He looked surprisingly at Tigerlily who was politely standing a few feet behind Frodo. Sam peeked around his body and smiled at the girl. "And who is this beautiful lass? Frodo! Have you gone out and found yourself a lady without my knowledge?"

Tigerlily began to blush profusely, much more then she realized or would've allowed.

"This, my dear Sam, is your cousin, Miss Tigerlily Gamgee." Frodo smiled warmly at the girl, who was now staring wistfully at the flowers that overpopulated the bright green smial. 

The look on Sam's face made both parties laugh.

"Lily? This is the wonderful girl I have been writing to? How in the world could someone so charming and pretty be related to little ol' me?" He rushed up to her and gave her a brotherly hug.

"Hello Samwise. It's such a joy to finally meet you under well these odd circumstances!" She giggled again. She could not believe that she was related to such an amusing hobbit. 

"Well I haven't the foggiest idea how you two met, and I certainly don't plan to know until we have you settled in and some tea on the table. Um, Tigerlily, where are your bags lass?" "My bags! I forgot them! Oh Frodo, I'm sorry. I seem to have left them in your back hall when I was looking at Sting." Sam gave a suspicious glance at Frodo, who just smiled back. "That isn't a problem miss. I can retrieve them later or maybe I can propose you just stay in my guest room for tonight? Tomorrow you can surely make the pleasant trip back here, is that alright with the two of you?" Frodo was hoping to talk to the girl some more, especially about her childhood. Although she had said nothing he knew that they both shared the same feelings of doubt and self-consciousness as young hobbits. 

" That would be wonderful!" Sam said. Tigerlily just nodded her head. She was glad that Frodo had suggested the arrangement. She wanted to learn more about him, he had barely talked during lunch or the time before, letting her mouth move at a constant rate. "I bet I was a burden to him, going on about who knows what." she thought. Sam rushed them both inside and they were met by a smiling Rose. Elanor was sitting in the middle of the hall, playing with a handmade doll. Beaming, she pulled a piece of yellow colored yarn out of the head.

"Welcome Miss Lily! It's a pleasure to finally meet you! Please sit down. I'll be taking yours and Mr. Frodo's coats now. You all go sit down in the kitchen. Some tea is brewin' and should be done in a short while."" Rose smiled thoughtfully at the girl who walked through the door, she was obviously uncomfortable and not hiding it very well. Elanor toddled up to Lily and began to pull at her gray skirt.

"Pretty lady?" she looked up at Lily with bright innocent blue eyes. But she was asking a question apparently. 

"Yes love?" She kneeled down to get eye level with the small child.

"Are you my auntie?"Elanor was now looking straight into her eyes, as though trying to pry open her soul with her sweetness and automatic trust. Tigerlily couldn't help but giggle. She fell down and sat contentedly on the floor. Rose had hung the coats up in the hall closet and had just come back to see the scene.

"Why yes my dear, I believe I am." She kissed Elanor's forehead. There were few things in this world that Tigerlily loved more then children. Rose sensed that, and knew that they were going to get along just fine. 

"Well that's good." Elanor walked off, clutching her doll to her breast, and smiling all the while. A few minutes had passed. Frodo and Sam could be heard talking in the kitchen about their gardens and the coming winter. Frodo has long since relieved Sam of his duties at Bag End, but still, some mornings, Frodo would wake up to Sam whistling outside his window, cutting the grass, or planting some new breed of rose he had concocted. Tigerlily sat, engrossed in her own thoughts, Rose watching her in the same state. 

"She's beautiful," Tigerlily sighed. And she's my niece. She thought to herself.

"Why thank you Lily." Rose's voice startled both of them and Rose reached an outstretched hand to her sister in law, although in her mind that didn't seem fitting. They both got up and walked silently into the kitchen. A yellow light radiated through the small room, and an old porcelain tea kettle was singing over the fire. They all sat down together and Rose ran off to the pantries to get some wheat biscuits and honey. When she had returned Lily was in the middle of explaining the coincidental day to Sam. Frodo kept silent, letting Tigerlily do what he apparently thought that she did best, chat. 

They all sat down for a good while and talked, sipping their tea and basking in the happiness that seemed to burst from the door of the smial. But that was Sam Gamgee's way with things.

"And after a very pleasant walk, we came here." Frodo slapped both his hands on the table in finishing. Tigerlily had given permission for him to finish the rest of the story, which made everyone laugh. Thinking that the most prestigious and well known hobbit in the Shire would need to get permission for anything is a funny thought.

"Well, that was certainly exciting!" Sam said, "Now what do you think we should all do? Any suggestions Rose dear?" He yelled to the kitchen where his wife has washing up the plates and mugs.

"Hm, why don't we show Tigerlily around? It should be a beautiful starry night, and Hobbiton will be bustling. How about we all go for a walk to The Green Dragon? I heard they just had another shipment of 1420." She emphasized "1420" knowing that it was the best ale the Shire had ever known. She also knew her husband, and ale was his one weakness, not including her. 

"Wonderful, wonderful. Elanor sleeps like an elven princess and should be just fine tonight. No trouble at all. Shall we set off now?" Sam was beaming, his cousin had arrived, his daughter was asleep; even his wife was in a happy mood, the world seemed to like him at the moment.

"Why not?" said Frodo. He got up out of his stool and grabbed Tigerlily's coat. He threw it around her shoulders, and walked with her out the little sky blue door. Rosie swept up the rest of the dishes and put on a new shawl.

"They make quite a proper pair don't you think Rosie?" Sam asked his wife, a smile escaping his lips.

"What are you suggesting Sam Gamgee? Did you plan all this?" She couldn't help but laugh at the thought of her cousin in law and Mr. Frodo.

"No actually, but I hope to get the credit if it all turns out for the right. Frodo likes her I think, and if I'm correct then Miss Tigerlily Gamgee is the luckiest hobbit in all the Shire."

"Second to me of course," Rosie looked up at her husband, who by now had both of his arms wrapped tightly around her.

"If you insist my dear, if you insist," Sam kissed her lightly and then grabbed both their coats. "Well we must be off! Don't want to keep "them" waiting!" He snickered, delighted at the events of the last hour or so. 

Sam and Rosie walked down their little cobblestone steps hand in hand, and ran up the road towards Frodo and Lily. They were already walking and talking about the sunset that lay before them, blazing brilliant shades of orange and peach, yellow linings accompanying the fluffy clouds that rolled over the hills like blankets. And with that the four hobbits made their way happily to the Green Dragon Inn. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	4. The Green Dragon

Chapter 3

  
  


The Green Dragon

  
  
  
  


Sam turned the bright gold plated knob and thrust the door open. The Green Dragon was bustling with activity and the smell alone overwhelmed Tigerlily. The Prancing Pony was a legend in its own right, but the Green Dragon was known throughout the Shire as the most prominent and well owned eating establishment. Tigerlily gazed around at the mahogany chairs lined perfectly against the back of the room. There were two long tables in the center of the room just next to the bar, both full with hobbits dressed in respectable fashion, sipping on half pints of ale that sat in front of them.

"So much more...civilized then my father's inn." She mused to herself. Although she knew that wasn't the proper word to describe the place. Frodo and Sam had a few words with Mr. Proudfoot, who was just about as proud as his feet when it came to the Dragon. Tigerlily followed Rosie and sat at one of the booths. They were both empty, mostly because the parties that had come that night were far too large for the small seats. Rosie ordered them two ciders and the boys a half pint of ale, joking that she didn't want Sam to be "too happy" when he stumbled back to their smial. And a good aged pint of ale was his welcome companion on such a beautiful night. 

They all sat down together and simply watched the door, chatting about who came in and out; once in a while calling some of them over to introduce to Tigerlily. After about an hour a grey hooded figure sneaked silently through the door and took a seat at the bar. He ordered a small cider and then sat down in the corner puffing on his pipe. He had no hat to speak of, but the glint of a silver sword handle peeked through his cloak. Frodo leaped up out of his seat, "Gandalf?! What are you doing here? I wasn't expecting you for another month or so!" Although Gandalf has always a welcome visitor at the Bag End residence, his unannounced presence was nonetheless surprising.

"Hello my dear Frodo," Gandalf said as he sat down in their booth. "I had stopped by Bag End earlier to speak with you but you were away, so I decided to come here for some cider and catch up on Shire news. But here you are, now isn't that pleasant!" A few hobbits laughed, glad to see Gandalf where they thought he belonged. The wizard could be evil and menacing when he wished, but to the Shire folk he wouldn't hurt a horse fly, unless it threatened his biscuit of course.

"Yes, yes quite but Gandalf you know what I want!?" Gandalf mumbled something about Frodo always wanting news and being overly curious before he started his barrage of questions. "How are the renovations in Mordor coming along?" Frodo asked.

At the mention of the accursed name a few heads turned, but realizing it was just Frodo, they all got back to their ale and conversations. He seemed to be, unofficially, the only hobbit in the Shire allowed to mention the land. Unfortunately, no matter how hard they tried to forget, Mordor was a real place. The plans to renew its vitality that it possessed thousands of years ago was welcome, but probably unlikely.

"Just fine actually. The band of Elves that Legolas has sent from Mirkwood toil tirelessly. They are absolute treasures. We did have to rip down every tree that was left, which made the elves quite melancholy." He saw the look on Frodo's face and chuckled. "Oh my dear Frodo, don't worry. We let Ithilien be. That lonely forest is slowly becoming talkative again. Faramir and Eowyn are building it up into something stunning, as it should be. But as far as the foliage of Mordor, I mourn to see a living creature pass, but these poor wretched trees were not fit for firewood! But still, they mourned."

Tigerlily was amazed at how cheerfully they were talking of Mordor. She had only heard about the dead land in tales. But the descriptions haunted her. On occasion she would have dreams of wandering aimlessly through ash ridden fields, with deep pits on either side of her, with a fall into nothing. She started to shake, just thinking about it all, but Gandalf's loud sigh awoke her.

"But that is not what I have come to talk about." The mere tone in the old wizard's voice caused Frodo's face to fall.

He sighed, " Come out with it Gandalf, I seem to take news better now."

"Oh no dear lad, it is not bad news, just odd I would have to say. Do you remember the seven palantirs? The lost seeing stones of Gondor? Well, the seventh's "hiding place" has possibly been discovered. King Elessar was looking into the stone of the Tower of the Sun and received images of deep, dank, caves with hidden murky pools. Creaking was heard and the soft splashing of an unseen tide. Everything was a dark blue and black but a soft light was visible around the edges of the picture. The light can only be explained as the glow of the palantir. He asked his advisers, though I could've told him this if I had been available, and all came back with the same answer, the Misty Mountains. I was visiting Fangorn, since my stay here is short, and I'm only here to complete this quest. Then I will be returning to the havens." He sighed again. "The King has asked if I would gather all the information on the underground world of the mountains, and, if I wish, go on the journey to find the palantir. I immediately thought of your uncle when it came to finding knowledge about the Misty Mountains. I have come to ask permission to rummage through his journals and what not. I hope to find a few good descriptions of the underwater caves, your Uncle always did have a good memory." 

They both sighed and smiled happily. Mr. Bilbo Baggins of the Shire had died in complete rest and happiness in the Immortal lands only the last Autumn. He was 132, he had beat the Old Took, and thus became the oldest, and lovably oddest hobbit in the Shire.

"I doubt that is all Gandalf, but of course you may look through his things. Everything is in order, me and Sam spent a whole Summer organizing it all." Frodo said.

Tigerlily just looked on in silence, here was Gandalf the White, the most powerful of all the Istari, describing a perilous journey as if it were a stroll through New Row! 

"Well Frodo, you are correct again, that is not all that I come to ask."

  
  


A/N: WOOOHOOO! My book has a plot! Hehe, I think what Gandalf is going to say is quite obvious. But will Frodo accept the invitation? He's not necessarily partial to journeys at this moment. Hmmm, guess you'll have to wait and see! PLEASE REVIEW! It makes me so happy. I just feel as though this work isn't good enough if people don't. Anyway, I'm writing the rest right now, so be patient. And thank you to those who reviewed, it's so great.


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